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These irresistible apple recipes are the best ways to use this popular fruit! There’s something for everyone, from salad to apple pie.
Got apples? Here’s a collection of deliciously fun apple recipes for using this popular super fruit! There’s all the standards like apple pie, apple crisp, and applesauce. But there are so many more creative ways to use apples in your cooking. Throw them into salads, roast them with cauliflower, or add them to pancakes or smoothies for a healthy breakfast.
The sky is the limit with apples, so let’s get started! Want to browse by type? Try Apple Breakfast Recipes or Apple Dessert Recipes.
And now…our top apple recipes!
Here’s a cozy baked good that’s calling your name: this easy apple cobbler recipe! The topping is a meld of a biscuit and a sugar cookie, chewy, sweet and baked into golden-brown dollops. It covers a sweetly-spiced apple layer that’s flavored with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and lemon zest for a little pop. Top it with melty vanilla ice cream and there’s really nothing more we want in an apple dessert.
Here’s a muffin recipe that’s the best cozy baking project: apple cinnamon muffins! These are so delicious everyone will beg for the recipe. Each one has a fluffy, tender crumb, with just the right amount of sweet tart bursts of apples. The best part? Sprinkling with cinnamon sugar before and after baking makes a crunchy, warm spiced topping. You won’t believe how tasty these are!
Got a craving for a cozy fall dessert? Try Baked Apples! It’s like a short-cut apple crumble, but lighter, easier and tastier. Stuff the sweet tart fruit with oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and allspice, then bake until sweet and tender. The tart tang of the apple against the spiced crumbles is a bit of a revelation!
Do the words apple cinnamon oatmeal make you first think of a packet of instant oatmeal? Turns out, it’s infinitely more delicious homemade! This oatmeal recipe is cozy and comforting, made with real fresh fruit and seasoned with brown sugar, cinnamon and a hint of allspice. When it comes to cozy healthy breakfasts, it’s king!
You won’t believe this caramel apple dip recipe until you taste it! Stir just 4 ingredients into a glossy peanut butter caramel that’s vegan and gluten-free. It’s so simple and the best healthy snack!
Looking for an easy apple recipe that will have everyone talking? Try apple pie bars! It’s simple to whip up this handheld treat: the same dough makes a sturdy bottom crust and buttery crumbles of streusel topping! Sandwiched in between the layers is a cinnamon-spiced apple filling, and it’s topped with a sweet maple icing drizzle that tastes a bit like melty vanilla ice cream.
Here’s a cozy, fun quick bread to make any time of the year: try this Apple Bread recipe! It’s got a moist, tender crumb, and is bursting with tangy fruit, warm spices, and a brown sugar cinnamon swirl. It’s a total crowd pleaser! Everyone loves this spiced bread, and it makes the kitchen smell incredible.
Here’s a simple way to turn apples into a beautiful side dish: this stunning Apple Salad recipe! Crisp tart apple slices pair with pops of pomegranate seeds, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy, cinnamon-spiced pecans. Toss them all over fresh greens with a zingy maple and apple cider vinegar dressing, and it’s truly salad perfection.
At the top of our apple recipes: apple crisp! This recipe is absolutely classic, harnessing all that cozy nostalgia of the season. The crumble topping is the ideal texture: crispy but not crunchy, and buttery but not soft. The fruit layer below will make your heart sing: cinnamon, a hint of ginger and allspice set off just a hint of orange and lemon zest.
Also try: Best Gluten Free Apple Crisp
These apple snickerdoodles are irresistibly soft, with a sweet coating of cinnamon and sugar. Each bite has a burst of sweet tart apple! They take no time to whip up and don’t require any refrigeration of the dough before baking: which means you can sink your teeth into that soft, spiced cookie as soon as possible.
Introducing…Grandma’s Old Fashioned apple dumplings recipe! Yes, this really is Grandma’s recipe: we worked with Alex’s mom to adapt her famous fall favorite for your home kitchen. Tender, cozy-spiced apples are baked up in a flaky pasty crust with a spiced brown sugar syrup.
Apple crisp fans, here’s a dessert you might love even a little bit more than the classic: apple cranberry crisp! The tartness of fresh cranberries melds with sweet, comforting crisp apples in a cinnamon-spiced fruit layer. The berries add a zingy flavor and a bright red hue to the fruit, which shines topped with golden buttery crisp crumbles.
Here’s a fun, fresh side dish to add to your repertoire: apple slaw! Cabbage, apples and carrots partner up to form the basis of a tangy slaw. They’re doused in a creamy poppyseed dressing that you’ll want to pour on just about everything. It’s a slaw spin that’s unique in flavor but simple enough that you’ll want to keep making it all year long.
Here’s one of the best desserts out there: grilled apples! It’s carefree, easy, and a la mode (which makes everything better). Thinly slice those apples and throw them in a foil packet with sugar and spices. The grill turns them tender and velvety, with subtle nuance of smoke. Top with melty vanilla ice cream, and well: it doesn’t get any better than this!
No need to find that recipe card Grandma scribbled down: this one is just as classic. Golden, crunchy brown sugar crumbles top a sweet tart filling of warm spiced fruit, seasoned with cinnamon, allspice and ginger. Bake this one on repeat all fall and winter, and you’ll never tire of it.
These incredible apple muffins have a a crunchy streusel topping made of glittery turbinado sugar and a little butter and oats, which adds just the right sweetness and crunch to each bite. The muffin is flavored with cinnamon, ginger and allspice, and features both applesauce in the batter and chunks of diced apple. Also try Vegan Apple Muffins.
Next up in our apple recipes: the very best apple pie. Really. This one has the perfect buttery crust, woven into a rustic lattice and painted with a sparkly maple glaze. The interior is gooey, sweet apples, spiced with cinnamon, cloves and fresh ginger. It's so, so flavorful and looks positively stunning. Head to the post for tutorials on how to cut apples fast and how to weave a lattice crust.
Also try: Classic Vegan Apple Pie (quite possibly even better!)
Here’s an apple recipe for cozy mornings that’s got a secret…it’s a healthy breakfast idea, too. Meet these apple cinnamon pancakes! They’re fluffy, cinnamon-spiced, and guess what? They’re made of 100% oats, no flour! Using oats lends a warm, homey flavor and makes them more filling and nutrient-dense than the traditional pancake.
Here’s an apple recipe that’s full of cozy spiced, naturally sweet flavor: the perfect apple smoothie! This one works anytime and in any season. But of course it’s perfect for fall when you’ve got mounds of apples to use up. In fact, it’s a healthy way to enjoy the flavors of apple pie or apple crumble! Cinnamon and vanilla are just the right compliment to the sweet tart fruit.
Here’s our very favorite way to eat apple recipes for breakfast: this baked apple oatmeal! It’s easy to make with ingredients you might already have on hand. The tender, sweet apples paired with maple syrup, cinnamon and allspice work as a brunch recipe for entertaining, or you can make a big pan and eat off of it for breakfasts all week.
Want an easy apple recipe that's a sweet treat? Look no further than these sauteed apples! There’s no baking necessary, and no advanced preparation. Just slice up some apples, saute them in butter and spices, and bam! Eat it warm topped with vanilla ice cream, and there’s really not much better. In fact, why even make apple crisp or apple pie at all?
And now for one of the most classic of all apple recipes: applesauce! Making applesauce at home is easier than you think. This recipe skips the extra sugars of the store bought kind! If you'd like, add cinnamon and a splash of maple syrup: or leave it unsweetened! Here’s how to make applesauce at home: on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot.
Here's another project in our apple recipes: dried apples! If you’re looking for a little recipe that’s a fun kitchen DIY, fairly easy, and makes your house smell divine, look no further than apple chips! A tip before you start: a mandoline is helpful for this recipe to cut the apple paper thin. Douse with cinnamon and bake in a low oven for a few hours. They come out crisp and sweet.
Here’s a healthy snack that’s captured our imagination: Apple Nachos! This simple combination of sweetened yogurt, almonds and apple slices is so refreshing and delicious, it’s hard to stop sneaking bites. It’s really just loaded apple slices, but it’s all in the branding, right? Here’s how to make this fun snack.
Here’s a surprisingly delicious salad that deserves a spot on your plate: celery and apple salad salad! This unique salad is so refreshing, you’ll become a convert from the first bite. Crunchy celery pairs perfectly with sweet apple, Parmesan shavings and a tangy vinaigrette. It’s easy, it’s crunchy, it’s hydrating: it works for summer, and it’s perfect in the winter too.
What’s more fun than apple pie? Mini apple pies! Am I right? There’s something about miniaturizing anything that attracts attention. And this mini apple pies recipes is the cutest thing to grace your table. Even better, they’ve got a splash of bourbon. Yep, these are the apple pies of your dreams! (And don’t worry, they’re safe for the kiddos because the alcohol cooks out when baking.)
This refreshing apple manchego salad recipe features apples and Spanish Manchego cheese cut into matchsticks, dressed simply with a bit of olive oil and chives. The way these ingredients are combined in such a simple way makes each shine! Manchego cheese has a unique flavor: it's available at most mainstream grocery stores. The way the apples and cheese are cut makes it hard to distinguish between the two – making it all the more fun to guess what will be part of each bite!
Last up in our apple recipes: this Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula and Apples! It’s simple and comes together quickly, but man does it deliver on flavor! The crunch of the apples, creamy goat cheese, and fluffy arugula are the ideal pair for the tangy sweet dressing.
Other apple recipe ideas
Did see something you liked? Here are some other ideas for serving apples:
- Compote, jelly, jam or chutney
- Strudel or dumplings: see these top Apple Desserts
- With chicken or pork
- Waldorf salad
Apple nutrition facts
Apples are full of nutrients! Here’s a quick breakdown of apple nutrition info and facts (Source: Healthline):
- Apples are full of fiber and water: 1 apple has 4 grams of fiber or about 15% of your daily needs
- They are a good source of vitamin C: 1 apple has about 14% of your daily needs
- Apples contain pectin, a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic and helps with gut health
- Raw apples clean your teeth and massage your gums!
- Most of the nutrients in apples are in the skin, so you should eat the skin as much as possible.
How to store apples
Here’s what to know about storing apples to make in these apple recipes!
- Store at room temperature for ripening.
- Store ripe apples in the refrigerator for several weeks in the fruit drawer. To slow down the dehydration, cover with a loosely closed or perforated plastic bag.
25 Tasty Apple Recipes
This apple cobbler recipe is easy and cozy! A biscuit-meets-sugar-cookie topping covers a sweetly-spiced fruit layer.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 6 cups peeled and sliced crisp tart apples (2 pounds; about 4 large or 6 medium)*
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Make the filling: Peel and slice the apples. In a medium bowl, mix them with the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, lemon juice and lemon zest. Then pour the filling into a round 9-inch pie pan, 9 x 9 inch baking dish or 7 x 11 baking dish.
- Make the topping: Meanwhile, in another large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until it forms crumbles (you may need to help with your hands, but resist the urge to mix too much). Place the pieces onto the apples. Sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
- Bake: Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the top is evenly golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cool for about 30 minutes, then serve. You can leave it out on the counter for up to 1 day (covered, at night). After 1 day, refrigerate any leftovers. It also freezes well for several months in a sealed container; reheat it in a 350°F oven until bubbly and the topping is crisp.
This was a great comfort food during quarantine. I had less flavorful apples so I added 1/2 tsp of ginger and some lemon zest and it tasted terrific!